furuncle

F4U1R1U1N1C3L1E1
UK/ˈfjʊə.ɹʌŋ.kəl/UK/ˈfjʊə.ɹʌŋ.kl̩/US/ˈfjʊɹˌʌŋ.kəl/

noun

A boil or infected, inflamed, pus-filled sore.

Similar
boil
OriginLatin fūrunculus →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounfuruncle (plural furuncles)

plural furuncles

  1. medicineA boil or infected, inflamed, pus-filled sore.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna painful sore with a hard core filled with pus

Similar
boil
Broader
staphylococcal infection
Also see
boil

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinfūrunculus“a petty thief, pilferer; a pointed burning sore, boil”
  2. Englishfuruncle

Late Middle English, borrowed from Latin fūrunculus (“a petty thief, pilferer; a pointed burning sore, boil”), diminutive of fūr (“a thief”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

furuncle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/furuncle

MLA

“furuncle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/furuncle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “furuncle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/furuncle.

Source: furuncle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.